Bararite is a rare ammonium fluorosilicate found primarily as a sublimate in volcanic fumaroles. It typically forms as small, thin, tabular crystals or crusts and is often found in association with other rare halides in active volcanic environments.
Is this bararite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch bararite with a known reference. Bararite sits at Mohs ~2.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: tabular crystals, massive, crusts.
Often confused with
Bararite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside bararite
Minerals reported to co-occur with bararite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- (NH₄)₂SiF₆
- Mohs hardness
- ~2.5
- Density
- 2.152 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Tabular crystals, massive, crusts
- Cleavage
- Perfect on {0001}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Above a burning coal seam (Barari, India); a sublimation product at fumaroles (Vesuvius, Italy); a sublimation product in burning anthracite piles (Pennsylvania, USA)
Where rockhounds find bararite
Classic worldwide localities
- Kehley’s Run mine, Shenandoah, Schuylkill Co., Pennsylvania, USA
- Bararee colliery, Barari, Jharia coalfield, West Bengal, India
- Vesuvius, Campania, Italy
- Clara mine, near Oberwolfach, Black Forest, Germany
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: Above a burning coal seam (Barari, India); a sublimation product at fumaroles (Vesuvius, Italy); a sublimation product in burning anthracite piles (Pennsylvania, USA). If you start seeing cryptohalite, sal ammoniac, sulfur in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: tabular crystals, massive, crusts. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify bararite?+
Where is bararite found?+
Is bararite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like bararite?+
What minerals are found with bararite?+
What kind of rock does bararite form in?+
What is bararite used for?+
Find bararite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
